EU-Armenia Joint Committee on Facilitation of Entry Visas emphasized the importance of launching a dialogue on visa liberalization in a timely manner

ArmInfo. The 5th meeting of the Joint EU-Visa Facilitation Facilitation Committee was held in Yerevan on September 13.

According to the press service of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting was chaired by the head of the Department of Europe of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Tigran Samvelyan and Deputy Head of the Department of Visa Policy and Security of Documents of the Directorate General for Migration and Internal Affairs of the European Commission, Diaderik Palman.

The parties noted the recorded progress in the process of applying the Armenia-EU entry visa facilitation agreement. They also discussed further steps aimed at the full application of the Agreement and improving the effectiveness of the document.

They also touched on relevant statistics, including a number of issues regarding the application of the Agreement, in particular, the existing tasks in the process of applying for and obtaining a visa at consulates / visa centers of the EU countries.

The importance of the consistent implementation of joint efforts aimed at stimulating the mobility of citizens, combating irregular migration and the timely launch of a dialogue around visa liberalization was emphasized.

An agreement on simplification of visa issuance procedures was signed in December 2012, and a readmission agreement between Armenia and the European Union in April 2013. According to the press service of the EU Council, the agreement will be sent to the European Parliament for internal procedures and to give a holistic look. When both parties announce that all internal procedures have been exhausted, on the last day of the month following the declaration, the agreement will enter into force, but not earlier than the entry into force of the readmission agreement. Both agreements must come into force at the same time. Great Britain, Ireland and Denmark are not part of the agreement. In accordance with the agreement on simplification of the visa regime for citizens of Armenia, simplified procedures for obtaining entry visas to the Schengen zone are provided. This is implied for a number of categories of citizens of Armenia, in particular, members of the official delegation, scientists, students, journalists, sports and culture workers, close relatives of lawfully residing in the EU countries, participants in events organized by the structures of the Armenian diaspora operating in the EU, and others. It is also planned to lower the tariffs for an entry visa to the Schengen zone to 35 euros. Along with this, this visa will be granted free of charge to a number of categories of citizens, including children and pensioners. In addition, this agreement will allow Armenian citizens to visit EU countries on short-term visas for a period of 180 days instead of the previous 90. In accordance with the agreement on simplifying the visa regime for Armenian citizens, simplified procedures for obtaining entry visas to the Schengen zone are provided. This is implied for a number of categories of citizens of Armenia, in particular, members of the official delegation, scientists, students, journalists, sports and culture workers, close relatives of lawfully residing in the EU countries, participants in events organized by the structures of the Armenian diaspora operating in the EU, and others. It is also planned to lower the tariffs for an entry visa to the Schengen zone to 35 euros. Along with this, this visa will be granted free of charge to a number of categories of citizens, including children and pensioners. In addition, this agreement will allow Armenian citizens to visit EU countries on short-term visas for a period of 180 days instead of the previous 90.